Between One Life and Another
by Ze-Temptress
Summary: Narrated by Neo and Trinity, their thoughts during the moment Neo realizes he's the One, the moment when they realize their love for each other. One shot.


Disclaimer: As always, I must pay respect to the real creators, Larry and Andy Wachowski, and hope to God they don't sue me for 'borrowing' their characters. I don't own them or The Matrix, 'cause if I did, I'd be rolling in a pile of money right now.

A/N: I've seen a few stories like this before…but usually focused on one POV. I tried going a little more in depth. Okay, just so this doesn't get confusing, I'll let you know, the story switches several times between Neo and Trinity's point of view. Each change of POV will be indicated with a '*~*~*~*', got it?

Between One Life and Another

Breathe! Remember what Morpheus taught you! C'mon, focus! I can do this!

Room 303. Room 303. Room 303. My salvation. My freedom. My savior. Where is it?!

A shot is fired. I'm lucky it misses. They're as desperate as I am. They don't want me to leave. Why not? I'm just some ordinary guy…

Room 303. My rescue. They're waiting for me. _She is waiting for me. _

Room 306…I'm getting close. Breathe. Concentrate. Almost there. 

Room 305. I can hear the ringing phone. My escape. Just a little farther.

I was so stupid to think I could be the One. Why did I stop to fight him? I knew I wouldn't win. It was a waste of time! Now I'm being chased.

Room 303! Yes! I don't bother with the door knob. There's no time. I push it open with all my strength, never being more thankful in my life.

Turning. My eyes are met with a glare. There's a gun leveled and pointing straight at me.

No…

*BANG*

I blink at the sudden burst of sound. I take a few steps back. I hear the empty shell drop to the floor, piercing the silence. My ears start ringing. Everything happened so quickly. I know he fired…but I feel oddly numb. I look down slowly to where his gun is pointing and touch to the wound. 

Blood seeps out. 

I look back up at him. He seems angered that I didn't go down.

*BANG*

Another shot is fired point blank. This one sends me stumbling backwards against the wall and I can feel the pain of it. 

But I thought there was no spoon. 

There is no pain! Why can I feel pain?! This isn't real!

I glare at him defiantly. Please let there be a miracle!

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

My breath is caught in my throat. My head is swimming in darkness.

I knew this would happen…She told me it would

'You have to choose between Morpheus' life and your own.'

Morpheus is alive and well on the Neb. And I'm here, dying like I should be.

But it can't end like this…

They're waiting for me…

_She_ is waiting for me…

Or am I waiting…?

Let there be a miracle…

No…

*~*~*~*

I watch the monitors carefully. He's making his way to room 303. Ironic that it was the same one I had used to watch him before.

As the code scrolls down the screen, something doesn't seem right. He reaches the door, and in an instant, I know what wrong.

An agent! Inside! Neo, run!

But it's too late. The door had been opened and the agent fired. For an agonizing minute, he kept firing. Then it was over.

Neo's body struggled in pain, then calmed and remained still, release his last breath.

The heart monitor blares its horrible, endless siren, indicating that indeed…he was dead.

I stare in disbelief.

No…no…no, no, NO, NO!! This isn't right!!

He can't be dead. There's no way in _hell he can be dead!_

I look at his face. From his face alone, I know what I'm feeling can't be coincidence. My heart and head usually don't agree on many things, but this, they agreed on.

I'm in love. With him.

I know this is it. I have to tell him. It's the only way he'll believe. 

Crouching down beside him, I whisper, "Neo…I'm not afraid anymore." I pause. Gathering my words, I say, "The Oracle told me that I would fall in love, and that man…the man that I loved would be the One." The sounds of destruction and lasers firing in the background barely registered in my mind.

"So you see…you can't be dead. You can't be…" Was I trying to convince him…or myself? "Because I love you…you hear me? I love you…" I slowly close the distance between us and place my lips against his, kissing him.

Please don't die…

As I pull away, I hear the heart monitor flicker to life, as does Neo, gasping for breath. 

A miracle…Just as the Oracle told me…He's the One!

"Now get up," I order him.

*~*~*~*

Darkness surrounds me. I feel detached. Where am I? The darkness takes shape. I'm in the Neb… floating? I see Morpheus and Tank. They look distressed. Who just died? I think jokingly to myself. Then I freeze.

I…just…died…

My vision wanders to where Trinity is tending to someone. She's…tending to me…

The heart monitor to her left has flat lined. I see myself lying motionlessly on the chair.

Am I…really dead?

I hear her speak. "The Oracle told me I would fall in love and that man…the man that I loved would be the One…" Suddenly…everything began getting darker. All I could hear was her sweet voice. "So you see…you can't be dead. You can't be…because I love you."

She…loves me…

I feel a pair of soft, warm lips touch mine. Then the feeling slips away as my mind connects back to the one still in the Matrix.

I hear her final words before I'm completely gone. "Now get up."

My eyes flicker open. I'm back in the Matrix. I'm back in the hallway. The last feelings of cold death wash off me as I get up. Something's different this time around.

I see everything in green. No…wait, it's not just green…it's code. I hear guns getting ready. I can feel it.

I turn my head towards them as they fire.

"No…" Holding up my hand, I slow the bullets down. Their trails are visible. 

They stop inches from me. Curious, I pick one bullet up as if it was sitting on a table. Even more curious…

Letting it drop, I realized something. The rest of the bullets drop.

I really am the One.

Everything is in code. The walls, the pipes, the cords, even the Agents, who are staring at me, dumbfounded.

The Oracle was right all along. I died, just like she said I would. I wasn't the One until 'my next life' began.

Smith is angry. I can tell. He rushes at me, fists ready. But it's unusually slow for an Agent. He attacks in almost clumsy punches and I block each effortlessly. 

This was too easy.

I grab his arm and wrench it to the side, using the momentary distraction to kick him square in the chest. He flies backwards, landing ungracefully, his sunglasses gone. 

Standing straight on both legs, I walk towards him. 

He prepares. 

I rush forwards and leap into his code. From inside, I get a better understanding of what makes up an Agent and begin deleting him from within. His shell crumbles away and all that is left…is me. The two remaining Agents take heed and flee.

*~*~*~*

He's alive…He's really alive!

At the same time, I knew he couldn't die. 

C'mon, Neo…hurry! The destruction around me was finally noticeable. Shit! What the hell was taking him so long?

Please hurry or we're all dead!

One particularly close laser fire causes me to scream his name. "NEO!!"

*~*~*~*

A voice shrieks in my head. "NEO!!" I suddenly remember the ringing phone and rush towards room 303, my salvation, my escape, my rescue.

I was waiting for my next life…

She is waiting for me now…

*~*~*~*

God, no! A sentinel breaks through some wiring and rushes towards us. All the fear I had just discarded comes rushing back to me in one breath.

It's going to kill us.

It's going to kill Neo!

"NO!!" Suddenly, I feel a strong sweep of energy charge past me as I attempt to protect Neo from the sentinel. It feels like static across my skin and takes my breath away.

The EMP.

I panic. Did he get out in time? Did the EMP kill him? Oh god, I don't want to lose him again! As everything dims and the electrical systems shut down, all becomes quiet.

I'm waiting for him…

The sentinels…off-line. 

Our ship…a sitting duck. 

Neo…

Alive.

I feel movement underneath me. He made it… I slowly move away, but feel his hand touch the back of my neck. He looks into my eyes, confused…yet understanding. He communicates love through those eyes. I stare back, slightly smiling, caressing his cheek with my hand.

He loves me.

He's not just the One. He's _my One._

*~*~*~*

The first thing I see after placing the receiver to my ear and waking from the Matrix is _her_. 

Trinity.

My salvation. My savior. My goddess.

She brought me back from the furthest edge of death. Without her, I would be nothing. Not even the One.

My angel.

I look into her eyes. She gives off a radiance of beauty and hope.

She loves me. She was waiting for me. At room 303.

I gently place my hand on her neck. A very faint smile graces her face. She rarely smiles.

Soft lips. A real kiss. I kiss her because I love her. Because I'm alive.

Alive because of her.

My goddess.

Because she loves me…and told me so…between one life and another.

~* FIN *~ 


End file.
